Having enjoyed his first Hollywoodbets Durban July ride 24 hours earlier without success, Philasande Mxoli bounced back with some compensation at Turffontein on Sunday when he got the Tyrone Zackey longshot La Moohal up in the final strides to catch the pacesetter Greeting My Master and win the R250 000 TAB Gr3 Sea Cottage Stakes.
Philasande Mxoli has La Moohal in charge as Gavin Lerena and Greeting My Master have no more to offer (Pic – JC Photos)
An astute R130 000 purchase by Tyrone Zackey’s daughter Nadine Backos to bolster her Dad’s string, off the BSA May 2024 Online Al Adiyaat dispersal, former Mike de Kock charge La Moohal was having only his second start for the family operation, and delivered in style – recouping his purchase price in under two minutes!
“I liked him, so I bought him to support my Dad,” Nadine, who between her and husband Kevin, are Tyrone’s staunchest supporters, told the Sporting Post afterwards.
The race named in honour of one of the true legends of the SA turf, saw a field of twelve 3yo’s line up at the 1800m on the Turffontein standside course on Sunday.
Hollywoodbets Durban July second reserve Hotarubi was backed into 13-10 to give Winning Form rider Richard Fourie his fourth winner of the day. But it was not to be.
Tyrone Zackey proudly displays the beautiful trophy (Pic – JC Photos)
Gavin Lerena took the fight to his opposition on the free-striding Greeting My Master, who looked a likely winner inside the final 250m, before Mxoli launched a late challenge down his inside.
Finishing full of pep in his step, La Moohal (33-1) gave veteran trainer Tyrone Zackey and his family Nadine and Kevin Backos a long overdue and deserved feature success, and the handicapper something to contemplate, when he beat Greeting My Master (28-10), who had done all the donkey graft, going away by a length in a time of 110,98.
Donna Mo (20-1) bolstered the trifecta, three lengths away in third, with Presley (16-1) making ground late for fourth.
Hotarubi (13-10) may have encountered some difficulty finding a way through, and was 5,25 lengths off the eyecatching winner in fifth.
The saddle slipped on Officer In Command and the gelding was never in it.
The winner, who had the blinkers removed, was bred by Al Adiyaat and is by Maine Chance stallion Vercingetorix, who sired the Hollywoodbets Durban July exacta a day earlier. La Moohal is out of the twice-winning Trippi mare, Hafla.
A winner of 3 races with 3 places from 11 starts, La Moohal took his stakes to R331 375 and looks to provide some real fun for Nadine’s R130 000 outlay.
Earlier in the day, Sean Tarry star Lucky Lad bounced back from a below par run in the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Gold Challenge last month, when he narrowly held off a persistent Captain Hindsight (16-1) to win an 1100m Pinnacle Stakes.
